Coring device



Jain. 24, 1950 E. E. RIGNEY 2,495,422

00am; DEVICE Filed Oct. 22, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 17 19 17 2s 22 22055. 2 T n 25 o I'NVENTOR E E Raginey ATTORNEYS Patented Jan; 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

coarse DEVICE Everett E. Rigney, Modesto, Calif.

A plication October 22, 1946, Serial No. 704,859

10 Clahns. (01. 14.6 52) This invention relates generally to food machinery.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it-is an object to provide, a power-actuated device for coring fresh bell peppers or the like preparatory to processing thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coring device, for the urpose described, which includes, in novel assembly, a driven coring unit, and a holding assembly operative to clampingly engage a bell pepper or the like and to then reclprocate in a direction to advance the pepper to and from the coring unit whereby the core is effectively cut away from the remainder of the D DD r A further object is to provide a coring device, as in the preceding paragraph, in which the holding assembly includes a pair of spaced plates mounted for movement, one toward the other, to clamplngly engage a pepper therebetween, and then both moved toward the coring unit for coring of the clamped pepper; said other plate having an opening therein to permit entry or the coring unit into the pepper from one end thereof.

An additional object is to apply novel semiautomatic safety means to the device to prevent accidental engagement of the operator's hands with the driven coring unit during use of the device.

A further object of the invention'is to provide a practical coring device, and one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device showing the parts in starting position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the device showing the position of the parts upon.

initial depression of the hand lever, with resultant raising of the shield.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but shows the position of the parts with the hand lever fully depressed, and the pepper holding assembly lowered into engagement with the coring unit.

' Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the device.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. g

. Fig. 6 is a fragmentari plan view on line 6-8 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the device comprises an upstanding open frame, indicatedgenerally at l, and including a top cross beam 2, end posts 3, and vertically spaced cross beams 4 and 5 intermediate the top and bottom of said frame.

Between the posts 3 the device is provided with a vertical spindle 6 driven from adjacent its lower end by means of an endless drive 1; the spindle being carried in bearings 8 on the cross beams 4 and 5, and said spindle terminating directly above the cross beam 4 and there being fitted with a rotary coring unit 9. The coring unit 9 includes a head It) and upstanding blades In position normally above the rotary coring unit =9 the device incorporates a pepper holding assembly, indicated generally at I2, which cornprises the following:

A horizontal bottom plate I3 extends transversely of the device and is carried at one end on the upper end of a vertical slide bar M journaled for sliding movement in the frame I through bearings i5. A stop collar 16 on the slide bar [4 limits upward movement thereof to the position shown in Fig. 1. The horizontal bottom plate l3'is normally urged in an upward direction, and to the limit of its movement,

by a pair of relatively light-weight suspension.

springs I! attached to opposite end portions of the plate l3 and the top cross beam 2. The bot tom plate I3 is formed with a central opening l8 directly above the rotary coring unit 9, and of a diameter so that such unit may pass upwardly therethrough.

Above and in symmetrical relation to the bottom plate l3 the pepper holding assembly [2 includes a horizontal, transversely extending top plate l9, secured at one end in connection with a vertical slide bar 20 slidably guided in bearings 2| on the side frame I opposite the slide Mr A stop collar 22 limits upward movement-of the top plate l9 to the position shown in Fig. 1 ;'the slide bar 20, together with said top plate l9, normally being urged upwardly to the limit of its movement by means of a suspension spring 23 connected between the upper end of the slide bar 20 and the top of a tubular housing '24 into which said slide bar projects.

Guide rods 25 are fixed on the bottom plate I3, adjacent its ends, and extend in slidable relation through the top plate l9; a nut 2 6 being threaded on the upper end of one of said guide rods so as to assure of lifting of the bottom plate [3 to its normal or starting position when the top plate l9 rises to its starting position, as shown in Fig. 1. In this starting position the Plates l3 and 19 are spaced apart sufiiciently for the entry of a pepper 21 therebetween, with the stem end of said pepper directly over the opening 18, and with the oppo site end of the pepper directly below small teeth 28 on the under side of the top plate IS.

A longitudinal hand lever 29 extends along one side of the machine and projects through a vertical slot 30 in the lower end portion of the slide bar 20; said lever being fitted at its forward end, and in front of the device, with a hand plate 3!. v

A return spring 32 normally maintains the lever which is formed as one leg of a bellcrank 34 pivoted, as at 35, for swinging movement in a vertical transverse plane. The other leg of the bellcrank lever 34 is fitted with a shield 33, normally disposed mainly below the bottom plate It, whereby a pepper 21 can be placed on said bottom plate I3 without obstruction.

Upon initial depression of the hand lever 29, it moves downwardly in the slot 30, and first swings the slotted cam lever 33 laterally inwardly, raising the shield 36.

Thereafter with continued downward movement of the hand lever 29 it engages the bottom of slot 30 and shifts the slide bar 20 downwardly. When this occurs the top plate i9 is moved downwardly into engagement with the pepper 21, and thence with continued downward movement of said top plate, the latter, together with the bottom plate l3, and the pepper then clamped therebetween, move downwardly in unitary relation until the rotary coring unit 9 passes through the opening I 9 to effect a coring operation within said pepper.

Upon release of the hand lever 29 the several springs return the parts to their starting position, whereupon the cored pepper 2! is removed and the next one disposed in position for the cor-' ing operation.

As a protective measure a Swinging guard 31 is pivotally mounted, as at 38, in connection with the bottom plate 13 on the under side thereof, and normally covers, as in Fig. 5, the opening Hi to prevent the operators fingers from slipping therethrough into engagement with the rotary coring unit 9. The swinging guard 31 includes a projecting trigger 39 engaged by the bellcrank lever 34 when the shield 36 is swung to raised position,

whereby to swing said guard clear of the opening l8, as in Fig. 6, and to permit of passage of the rotary coring unit 9 through said opening.- The swinging guard 31 is returned to starting position by a spring 40 when the shield 36 lowers, and said swinging guard is maintained in working contact with the bottom plate [3 by a hold-down guide 4!. With the described device, an operator seated in front thereof can rapidly, effectively, and with safety, core bellpeppers with a minimum of handling thereof; the machine being simple in its structural arrangement, and designed so that it requires a minimum of maintenance and repair..

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A coring device for vegetables or the like comprising a frame, a rotary coring unit journaled in the frame for rotation about an upstanding axis, a holding assembly adapted to support a vegetable initially spaced above and alined with the coring unit, the assembly including vertically spaced plates mounted in the frame for independent vertical motion, and means operative to move the upper plate downward to first engage a Vegetable seated on the lower plate and to then move both plates downward, the lower plate having an opening over which the vegetable is seated and the 'coring unit working through said opening upon downward movement of said assembly.

.2. A coringdevice for vegetables or the like comprising a frame, a rotary coring uni-t jour naled in the frame for rotation about an upstanding axis, a holding assembly adapted to support a vegetable initially spaced above and alined with the coring unit, the assembly including vertically spaced plates mounted in the frame for independent vertical motion, and means operative to move the upper plate downward to first engage a vegetable seated on the lower plate and to then move both plates downward, the lower plate having an opening over which the Vegetable is seated and the coring unit working through said opening upon downward movement of said assembly; both plates being spring suspended in the frame.

3. A coring device for vegetables or the like comprising a frame, a rotary coring unit journaled in the frame for rotation about an axis, such unit including a cutting head on its outer end, a pair of plates slidably mounted in the frame, yieldable means normally maintaining one of said plates spaced from saidcutting head, yieldable means normally maintaining the other plate spaced from said one plate, said one plate having an opening, in alinement with the cutting head, and lever means connected with said other plate and operable to urge said other plate toward said one plate whereby a vegetable dis-posed between the plates together with said one plate will be moved to project said cutting head through said opening and into said vegetable in coring re lation to the latter.

4. A structure as in claim 3 including a guide rod projecting outwardly from said one plate and extending through the other plate, and a stop element adjacent the outer end of said rod.

5. A coring device for Vegetables, or the like comprising a frame, a rotary coring unit mounted for rotation about an axis, said coring unit including a cutting head on its outer end, a pair of parallel guide bars slidably mounted in the frame, a plate on each guide bar, said plates being disposed in substantial parallelism with each other, yieldable means normally maintaining one of said plates spaced from said cutting head, yieldable means normally maintaining the other plate spaced from said one plate, said one plate having an opening in alinement with said cutting head, and lever means connected with the guide bar of said other plate and operable to slide the same. to move said other plate toward said one plate whereby a vegetable disposed between the plates together with said one plate will be moved to project the cutting'head through said opening and into such vegetable in coring relation to the latter.

6. A coring device for vegetables or the like comprising a frame, a rotary coring unit mounted for rotation about an axis, said coring unit including a cutting head on its outer end, a pair of parallel guide bars slidably mounted in the frame,

a plate on each guide bar, said plates being (115- posed in substantial parallelism with each other, yieldable means normall maintaining one of said plates spaced from said cuttinghead, yieldable means normally maintaining the other plate spaced from said one plate, said one plate having an opening in alinement with said cutting head,

and a lever pivoted on the frame and engageable I with the guide bar on the said other plate to slide said bar and move said other plate toward said one plate, whereby a vegetable disposed between said plates together with said one plate will be moved to project the cutting head through said opening and into such vegetable in coring relation to the latter.

7. A structure as in claim 3 including a guard plate normally closing said opening and means interposed between said lever means and the guard plate and operable to swing such plate clear of the opening prior to the projection of the cutting head through said opening.

8. A structure as in claim 3 including a shield normally disposed clear or the said one plate, means connecting said shield with said lever means and operable to move the shield across the outer edge of the said one plate and toward the other plate prior to the movement of the plates.

9. A structure as in claim 3 including a guard plate pivoted to said one plate and normally covering the opening therein, a finger on said guard plate projecting beyond one edge of said one plate, a bell crank pivoted to the frame, a shield fixed to one leg of the bell crank and normally positioned clear of said one edge of such one 'plate, means connected between said bell crank and said lever means to turn the bell crank on 5 its pivot and swing the shield across the said edge a of the said one plate prior to the movement of the plates, the edge of the shield being engageable with the finger to simultaneously swing the guard plate clear or the opening with the movement of 10fthe shield.

10. A structure as in claim 6 including a bell crank pivoted to the frame, a shield fixed to one of the bell crank and normally lying adjacent e edge of said one plate but .below the surface such plate, the otherleg of the bell crank bein the form of a slotted cam lever, the said *ifrst named lever projecting through said cam lever and operable to turn the bell crank on its 'pivot and swing the shield across the edge of said J :one plate prior to the movement of the plates. EVERETT E. RIGNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS .plqumber Name Date 227,912 McNew May 25, 1880 30 250,474 Ackerman Dec. 6, 1881 1,762,438 Hamilton et a1 June 10, 1930 1,775,918 Smith Sept. 16, 1930 1,923,712 Deitz Aug. 22, 1933 2,141,204 Chekian Dec. 27, 1938 35 2,359,881 Serr Oct. 10, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS umber Country Date 95,568 Germany Jan. 4, 1898 

